The visit from the PM last Friday was poorly reported by Sky News and its coverage was edited to make it look as if the PM was laughing at the lady we were talking to. I hope that most people will have seen the extended version that showed a very different picture. I should know, I was right beside him and can assure you that he was listening carefully to her. We had a good conversation as we continued to walk up the high street with her and she shook his hand.
This is disgraceful reporting but I am afraid it will be increasingly common for all politicians as we move to a General Election. I am concerned that fake news and misreporting will influence voting and I urge everyone to take a wide range of sources when looking at information. It is difficult as many, particularly young, people receive news from the internet which is sent to them via algorithms but we need to guard against this especially as foreign states such as Russia push a malevolent agenda.
This week I spent a lot of time in the Chamber for two debates and a statement by the Prime Minister on events in the Red Sea.
I asked him to continue our humanitarian support for the Yemeni people.
I held a meeting with Save the Children on Monday as it is concerned the Houthis were about to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation. While there is no doubt that much of their action can be considered terrorism, if we proscribe the Houthis as a terrorist organisation under the 2000 Terrorism law it would mean that no aid or funds/salaries transferred to aid workers would be allowed.
The United States has already proscribed the Houthis but it has different legislation and it means that aid can still flow. The US provides 50% of aid funding so stopping that would be catastrophic for the Yemenis, which is why they have taken a different approach. As 70% of the population live in Houthis controlled territory this is very worrying as we help provide support for over 100,000 people. The Prime Minister gave me some assurance that he understands the issues in his response to me in his statement.
Monday’s Public Accounts Committee was about the Defence Equipment plan 2023-2033 and although I wasn’t leading in the inquiry, it was interesting to hear about the procurement of equipment. It has never been satisfactory, there was a comment that it takes a long time to develop weapons so I asked a question about why we don’t buy more off the shelf products. Although I am a big supporter of our defence industry, I am not convinced that it always provides value for money or the right equipment in a timely manner.
Later in the week, I spoke at a dinner for Generals on a course about the work of the PAC and had a conversation with someone from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation who agreed we have not got procurement right yet. PAC does not comment on policy but how it is being implemented and whether it is effective and providing value to the taxpayer. The report on this annual inquiry will be available in a few weeks.
The Offshore Petroleum Bill went through on Monday. We will still need oil and gas even when we are at net zero and this will be extracted with the highest environmental standards.
On Tuesday the title of the opposition debate was almost exactly the same as my forthcoming Bill on the Register of Not in School children which was really irritating. Fortunately, the motion confused persistent absence – which is already recorded on school registers – with a Register of Children not in school who are not on a register so I was able to vote against it. You can watch my speech here.
At least it means that my Bill will have the support of the opposition and should go through. It is important to note I have no intention in enforcing a curriculum or way of educating on any home-schooled children. This Bill will at least make sure that local authorities know where the children are and can put in support where required.
That debate meant I had to miss the afternoon Criminal Justice Bill committee but I had attended in the morning. I spent all of Thursday in the committee and it finishes next week. Those of you who have visited Westminster and sat on the seats in Committee Room 14 know how uncomfortable they are!
I spoke in the debate on events in the Red Sea on Wednesday. Many other speakers touched on a range of topics, mostly on Gaza, rather than the Red Sea but I focused my debate on the impact on Yemen and how we must look after our armed forces at home too if we expect our brave sailors and pilots to be in danger areas so they can concentrate on the job rather than worrying about their family and lives at home.
This morning, I visited Henry Beaufort School in Winchester and Newmedica in Whiteley to hear about its work on working with NHS patients and linking in with the Integrated Care Board.
This evening, I am talking to students at Winchester university.
Have a great weekend.
